Annunciator system



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P. SEILER.

ANNUNGIATOR SYSTEM. l

Patented June 7, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. SEILER.

. ANNUNGIATOR SYSTEM.

No. 364,444. Patented June 7, 1887.

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ATTEST! INVENTDH:

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PAUL SEILER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.-

ANNUNCIATOR SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,444, lated June 7,1887.

Application filed Sepember 16, 11886. Serial No.213,759. (No modelli Toall whom it may concern.'

following specification, claims, and drawings.

My invention relates to a system of signals adapted especially for usein hotels, large res1- dences, and similar buildings.

The principal object 1n view 1s to economize space in the office and toprovide simple, effective, and superior means whereby the person inattendance at the office may return a guests call.

In order to illustrate the practical manner of carrying out theinvention, and to enable others skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains to make and use the same, drawings are hereuntoannexed and described, 1n which similar letters represent correspondingelements and in which each part referred to is designated by a singlecharacter.

Figure lis a general 'view of a portion of the system,shown mostly indiagram; and Figs. 2 and 8 show a suitable form of annunciatordrop to beemployed in the system. Fig. 4 shows a modification.

The system consists of the combination of an annunciator-board, A,provided with the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Ste., in this case arranged innatural order from left to right up to 65, in live horizontal lines andthirteen columns, au nunciator drops B, located above each column, andother drops, C, at theleft of each horizontal line, floors D of anybuilding-such as a hotel--a central ofiiee, E, including said board,said annuneiator-drops, and also a signal-bell, F, electric batteries G,and contact-keys H, other bells, I, and keys J upon each floor, and

' electric circuits,including all of said kcys,bells,

and annuneiator-drops.

Normally the circuit from any battery G passes by a wire, as K, to oneof the keys J, and from there through one of the bells I, and back tothe battery from which it started through one of the keys H; but whenany key J-for example, that in Vroom 53-1s depressed the circuit passesfrom the battery through the depressiomkey, through one of theannunciators B, (shown in this instance at a,) through the bellF,through one of the annunciators C, and through the key H back tobattery.

The closing of the circuit by means of the key J, as above described,causes the bell F to sound. An operator at the office thereupon actuatesthat particular key H which Vis connected with the bell in room 53,causing rthe current to pass through the bell I in the said room,through the key J in thatroom, andback again to battery. It is ofcourse'understood that the key J after release resumes its originalposition. As soon as the bell I is operated the occupant of room 53knows that his signal v sent any'room, respectively, on .the first,second, third, fourth, and fifth Iloors. Taken together they representwhat may be called a Fsectionj so that when vthe annunciator marked adrops, one of the rooms in this section calls the oflice. The particularroom of that section is indicated by one ofthe annunciators C-that is tosay, the annunciators C rep` resent the different lioors or stories in ahotel or other structure. The annunciators B represent different roomsarranged above one auother in the same structure. Any one of theannunciators B may stand for four or five or more different rooms. It isonly by reading the two annunciators together that one can know which ofthe numbers is represented. Thus, the annunciator marked a may stand for1, 14, 27,740, or 53. If, however, the lowermost of the annunciators Cdrops at the same time with the annunciator marked a it indicates thatroom 53-has called.

There are other sections (not shown, as the construction is exactly thesame) connected in order with the remainder of the annuneiatordrops B,and there are other series of keys exactly similar to H in electricalconnection with the remaining batteries and with the keys J. Only onesection, one series of keys H, and one battery are shown' in circuit,for the sake of preventing confusion.

Fig. 3 is a full front view of either annua ciator B or C, for they aresubstantially alike, and Fig. 2 is a detail View. It consists of thecombination of the drop proper, L, weighted by a projection, M, and heldin position by a piece, N, elastically connected with a core, O, of asolenoid, P, located in any circuit, K. When a current passes throughthe solenoid, the drop is released by the piece N and falls into theposition indicated in dotted lines. By means ofthe string Q it may bepulled again into its normal position. The part R, connecting the dropto the piece N, is hinged in such a manner that it will turn upward butnot downward. There are as many batteries G as there are iioors.

The invention is not limited to the precise construction hereinbeforedescribed and shown, as it is evident that many modifications may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The keys H may be behind the numbers on the board, so that by pushingthe numbers, or rather the disks on which the numbers are recorded, thekeys will operate. The said disks would be attached to the upper ends ofthe keys H. This construction is shown in Fig. 4. a, b, and c representsimilar parts in Figs. 1 and 4, YVhen the disk R is pushed as apushbutton,contact is broken at b and made at a. Vhen made ata, acorresponding ioorbell rings to notify the guest that the attendant isaware of a call.

Having now described niyinventicn, whatI claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

l. In a hotel annunciator and alarm system, the combination, with aseries of movable annunciating disks or plates numbered to indicatedifferent rooms, and electro-magnetically operated drops controlled bypush-buttons in the different rooms for designating any one of theseries of disks or plates, of a series of con tacts operated by themovements of the said disks or plates, and electromagnetic bells in thevarious rooms in circuit with the said disks and contacts, whereby anyone of the disks :may be designated by the annunciatordrops, and wherebya return-signal can be sent by depressing the designated disk,substantially as set forth.

2. In an annuneiator system, the combination of a table or board oftigures arranged in horizontal lines and vertical columns, an annunciator above each column and at the end of each line, a bell adjacentto said board, a series of keys or switches for each vertical column, anelectrical generator for each horizontal line, said elements being inthe office of a building, fioors of a building, electric bells and keyson each iioor, and electric circuits passing from said batteries throughsaid lastnamed or floor keys normally closed upon their backstops,through said last-named or floor bells, through said first-named keysnormally open, and back to said batteries, there being abraneh circuitopen upon the frontstop of said floorkeys, and vpassing through theotticebell, through the annunciators, through the office keys normallyclosed, and iinally back to the batteries, substantially as described.

3. In a signal system, the combination ot au annunciator-board having ahorizontal line of characters, such as numerals, and a vertical line ofcharacters indicating the numbers of the several rooms of a building,a`u annunciator'drop for each vertical line or column, an annunciatorior cach horizontal line, one bat tery for every horizontal line, (therebeing as many horizontal lines as floors in said building.) an electricbell adjacent to said board and other similar bells, one in each room,one series of keys for each floor adjacent to said board, other keys andbells in each room, and a circuit passing from each battery and normallyopen through said keys, said annunciator-drops, and said bells,substantially as and for the purpose described. l

In testimony whereof I havehereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

PA UL SEILER.

\Vi.tncsses:

HENRY SErHrroN, J. G. BLooMER.

